Improved journal-box



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIC...v

JOHN T. BRUEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED JOURNAL-BOX.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,445, dated October 17, 1865.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN T. BRUEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented anew and useful Improvement in Journal-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following` is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure A is the side elevation of a pillowblock, and Fig. B the plan view of the lower half of the pillow-block. The same letters indica-te like parts in the two gures.

The object of my invention is, first, to prevent abrasion of the j ournals; second, to reduce the friction-surface; third, to distribute the lubricating materials over thejournal; fourth, to retain the lubricating material in the bearing.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing the bearing-surfaces ofjournalboxes with circumferential corrugations which present a regular series of lands and grooves alternately along the whole length of the bearing. This surface may be produced in various ways; but the simplest method, and that which I prefer, is to cast the bearing metal or alloy into the chamber or recess of thejournal-box on a corrugated metal mandrel or 0n a suitable core. This mandrel or core has two longitudinal grooves on opposite radial points coinciding with the parting-lines of the upper and lowerhalfoftheiour11al-hoX,into which grooves are inserted two steel fins, so as to he easily removed. Before casting the mandrel is so placed that these fins coincide and are held between the upper and lower half of the Ijournal-box. The object of these fins is to prevent the molten metal or alloy from flowing out of the recess or chamber while being cast, and especially to insure an exact coincidence of the spiral lands and grooves in the upper and lower half of the box. For this purpose both the upper and lower half should be cast without removing the mandrel. The points of contact on the journal, as it revolves on the convex parts ofthe lands continually shift, whereof spiral lubricating-channels, (cast in as mentioned,) conveying from both extremities of the journal-box and leading into an oil chamber or receptacle situated iu the middle of the bearing. The lubricating substance is more effectually retained in the bearing by the angle which the friction-surfaces make with the axis ofthe shaft, the apex of which angle lies in the middle ofthe bearing in the direction of the motion of the shaft, \vhicllsppcessivelywipes the oilmfrom one t0 thempther ofwthe lands ot' the spiral lubricating-chafiiigls, until the two volumes encounter each other in the oil-chamber at the middle of the bearing.

a in Fig. A represents the cap, and I) the lower part, of a pillow-block.

c represents the lower half, and d the upper half, of the journal-box.

e represents the recess or chamber provided in the journal-box for thereception of the bearing metal or alloy.

fand 7L in Fig. B represent the spiral lands and grooves converging toward the middle of thejournal-box and in the direction of the motion of the shaft orjournal.

I have thus described my invention, its object and nature, and exemplified a mode ofapplication; 'but it is obviouslyT susceptible of other modes of application. Forinstance, any molten substance may be used, such as glass or other minerals, (in special cases,) instead of metal or alloy; and other modes of corrugating or indentating, instead ofthe one described, may be resorted to-as, for instance, a continnous spiral channel from one end of the journal-box to the other, instead of the converging ones, as shown, maygbe used for upright Aslif. if ts towipe the oil upward, or`fo`r Lmarine engines andV submerged machinery, where a continuous iiow of water may with advantage replace lubricatingsubstances. Itherefore wish it to be understood that I do not confine myselfto the mode specified, nor to the metals, alloys, or minerals used, but intend to vary, as occasion may require.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Constructing the bearingsurface of a journal-box of a corrugated or indentated contiguration, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

JNO. TH. BRUEN.

Witnesses:

J. W. GooMBs. G. W. REED. 

